TEST 2_ revision notes on Superpower relations Revision Notes

The Potsdam Conference, July 1945

• Background:

  • In May 1945, Allied troops reached Berlin, leading to Hitler's suicide and Germany's surrender, marking the end of the war in Europe.

  • A second conference was scheduled for July 1945 in Potsdam, Berlin.

• Changes Since Yalta:

  • Soviet Expansion:

    • Stalin’s armies occupied most of Eastern Europe post-liberation.

    • Soviet troops remained in countries such as Poland, establishing communist regimes against the local population's wishes and claiming it was for defensive reasons against future attacks.

  • Leadership Change in the U.S.:

    • Roosevelt's death on April 12, 1945, resulted in Truman's presidency.

    • Truman was more anti-communist and suspicious of Stalin, viewing Soviet actions as a precursor to further expansion.

  • Atomic Bomb Development:

    • The U.S. tested an atomic bomb on July 16, 1945, which Truman disclosed to Stalin at the Potsdam Conference.

Causes of the Berlin Crisis

• Economic Disparities:

  • West Berlin and West Germany:

    • Benefited from U.S. economic aid (Marshall Plan) resulting in job creation and improved living conditions, with freedom of speech and government choices.

  • East Berlin and East Germany:

    • Economic hardships with scarce resources and restrictive governance by the Communist Party.

  • People from East Berlin began fleeing to the West, approximately 2,000 daily by 1949, indicating the East's economic weakness compared to the West.

The Berlin Blockade and Airlift

• Blockade Overview:

  • Initiated in 1948 by the Soviet Union to restrict access to West Berlin, following U.S. economic aid efforts and a new currency introduction in the West.

  • Blocked all transport routes, leaving 2.5 million civilians in need of basic supplies.

• Allied Response:

  • The U.S. and Britain executed an airlift starting June 26, 1948, delivering 2.3 million tons of supplies over 11 months, representing a significant Cold War conflict.

Berlin in 1961

• Current Situation:

  • By 1961, Berlin was divided into East and West, with a stagnant East economy prompting over 3 million citizens to migrate to the West.

• The Berlin Wall:

  • Rising tensions led to the erection of a barbed wire fence on August 13, 1961, later replaced by a concrete wall to prevent East citizens from escaping.

  • The Soviet justification for the wall was to prevent espionage by the West.

Key Developments in Cold War Context

• 1946 Events:

  • Speech by Churchill on the Iron Curtain, Stalin's responses, and Novikov’s Telegram highlighting emerging tensions.

• 1947 Milestones:

  • Truman Doctrine announced, marking the end of U.S. isolationism and the need for containment strategies against communism in Greece.

  • Marshall Plan proposed for European reconstruction, seen as 'dollar imperialism.'

• 1948 Highlights:

  • Berlin Blockade initiation, U.S.-Great Britain currency introduction in Bizonia, and subsequent tension escalation.

• 1949 Developments:

  • Formation of NATO, Comecon, and establishment of East and West Germany amid ongoing Cold War dynamics.

The Truman Doctrine and Marshall Plan

• Truman Doctrine:

  • Response to Soviet expansion, signifying the U.S. readiness to provide aid to resist communism.

  • Describes the USA as a global 'policeman,' promoting the idea of containment to stop communism from spreading.

• Marshall Plan:

  • Launched to address severe post-war economic issues in Europe, believing that economic recovery would prevent the spread of communism.

  • Estimated that Europe owed the U.S. $11.5 billion, with conditions dire enough to warrant urgent assistance.